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Anthony Joshua MBE landed the IBF Heavyweight title with a brutal second round KO win over Charles Martin at The O2, in London, England on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
In front of a sold-out crowd at fever pitch in Greenwich, Joshua began with his trademark blistering speed and power in the opening round, rocking the unbeaten champion with solid shots.
In the second round, the Olympic hero then exploded a counter right hand flush on the chin of Martin to seat the American. Martin gingerly rose to his feet inside ten seconds but Joshua repeated the trick moments later, and this time Martin failed to beat the count and after 92 seconds of the second round, Joshua was crowned IBF Heavyweight champion.
“It is only a quarter of the way there,” said Joshua. “I am not going to get too carried away because there is a lot of work to be done. I have to keep on improving because I have people like Haye calling me out, Tyson Fury calling me out, all of them.
“I need to improve if I am going to maintain and keep pushing at a higher level. Every fight the atmosphere gets better and better and better. The people here are coming out to support myself and all of the other British fighters on the undercard.
“I come to knock people out, I want to give value for money and I really do appreciate everybody because there were times when we were training in Finchley ABC when nobody cared and I have been grinding my way here. I appreciate the ongoing support time and time again.
“Every Heavyweight has got power but it is about speed and precision, locking in and staying focused. A few months ago I was in here with Dillian Whyte having a great scrap – that was one for the fans, this was one for myself. I told you I was going to come out and punish him, I told you I would show him levels and this is the reward of it.
“Regarding all the hype, I stay tucked away in the gym and when I am not I am in Asda, Ikea, just doing usual things. All the hype is good for everyone in boxing, not just myself. Keep on pushing this sport. They have been calling me out since last year so it is nothing unusual, I will keep on grinding, keep on working hard, and once we step into this ring, trust you, trust me, I will be ready.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn added: “I want to thank everybody who came tonight. He made his debut in this Arena, he won the British title in this Arena, the Commonwealth title in this Arena, and tonight he became Heavyweight Champion of the World at The O2.
“This guy is the most humble sportsman you can meet, he has just won the Heavyweight championship of the World and it looks like he has just won a four rounder. This is only the beginning – he has aspirations to unify all the belts and he will.
“We have a little something planned for July 9, maybe at the national stadium, Wembley. He will go through everybody. Britain should be very, very proud. The sport has a chance with a role model who can transcend the sport that young people can look up to.
“Anthony Joshua won the Olympic Heavyweight championship, the British Heavyweight championship and tonight he won the World Heavyweight championship. This man will go on to be a real great. This is going to be the biggest star in world boxing, if he is not already. He is so humble and down to earth and he can beat them all. He is the real deal and he will beat everybody.”
Jamie McDonnell dominated Fernando Vargas with a ninth round stoppage win in the fourth defence of his WBA Bantamweight title at The O2, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
McDonnell patiently picked the tough Mexican apart as the late replacement provided stubborn resistance in the first half of the fight, but the Doncaster man was faultless and put his foot down in the second half of the fight to force the stoppage after landing heavy headshots in the ninth session.
McDonnell believes he should now add to his WBA strap and is hunting a unification showdown with his fellow champions at 118lbs.
“The kid came it at the last minute and we knew he was going to be tough for the first half of the fight,” said McDonnell. “The game plan was to break him down, work him down and take him out of there after six.
“It felt so easy in there but it was very frustrating when I started chasing him around and not cutting him down, but when I pinged him and let the shots go you could see he couldn’t take the shots and the power, and he folded.
“I have been on the road and proved I am the best in the Bantamweight division; I beat the WBO champion and should have the IBF, WBA and WBO World titles. I have defended the WBA belt four times, I am the best in the Bantamweights – forget Lee Haskins, Shinsuke Yamanaka, your Juan Carlos Payano; I said to Eddie – line those fights up and I will go and take the titles, as long as I am fighting I am happy.
“The plan was to move up after the first Tomoki Kameda fight but as long as there are fights there I can still make Bantamweight, I don’t mind moving up to fight the likes of Scott Quigg or Carl Frampton, I believe if I move up I would beat them, but at the minute I am clearing up at Bantamweight.”
Hearn added: “He will fight anyone. There is talk of the Scott Quigg fight at Super Bantamweight. I think that is a good fight, Scott wants it, Jamie fancies that. He has been superb, an unsung hero of British boxing and he is really starting to get the respect he deserves.
“He is a two-time Bantamweight champion. Dave Coldwell has done a brilliant job with him and I thought he went through the gears excellently there. I believe he is the best Bantamweight in the World. Payano for the Super belt could be next, Lee Haskins is out there with a World title and Stuart Hall is in a final eliminator for Lee’s belt. Jamie is getting better and better with every fight.”
Lee Selby survived a second round knockdown to defeat mandatory challenger Eric Hunter in the second defence of his IBF Featherweight title at The O2, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Selby started off well in the opening round but hit the deck in the second after Hunter landed a solid counter left-hook.
The Welshman saw out the remaining 30 seconds of the round and shook off the shock of hitting the canvas for the first time in his career, with the Philadelphia man unable to capitalise on the opening he made as Selby regained control of the clash.
Hunter had a point taken off for a low blow in the eighth round and looked like he could fall foul of the referee as he flirted with more shots south of the belt, and that deflated the challenger and Selby moved clear down the stretch, holding onto his title with scores of 115-111 116-110 116-110.
“When I got put down, it was only a little flash knockdown, it was nothing,” said Selby. “I have one of the best chins in the business, I wasn’t even hurt one tiny bit. He was a big puncher, a good fighter, the number one challenger, number one ranked fighter in the World, and he put on a good performance but I was a little bit too good for him.
“I always like to put on a good show for the fans. You see me when my ring tune comes on, I like to dance to the ring and, fighting at The O2, that brings the best out of me and gives me a feeling like no other. It was nice to put on a good performance again and now I want the big names in boxing.
“A few top fighters have called me out recently; Carl Frampton, Leo Santa Cruz, they have mentioned my name and I am open to all offers, I will fight anybody. I will leave it to my manager, promoter and adviser to pick my opponents – I will fight anybody.
“I am not a fighter who will pick and choose opponents, I want to be the best and I will fight anybody.”
In the early action, Ohara Davies put in a powerful performance to land the English Lightweight title in style. Davies dropped Andy Keates in the opening round and battered the Leek man over the next three rounds before delivering a brutal body shot that ended proceedings in the fourth round.
“I’ve worked hard in the gym and did everything right in the build-up so this is what happens when I get it right,” said Davies. “I am ready for the British title, I’d love to fight Scotty Cardle or defend my English against Sean Dodd.”
Matthew Macklin came out on top in his crossroads Middleweight clash with Brian Rose. The Irishman had a point deducted in the tenth round for low blows in a war of attrition between the pair, but his busy approach and fast start handed him the win against the Blackpool man by majority decision – 113-113, 115-111 and 115-111.
“I think I was the one that wanted it more,” said Macklin. “I need to think now, I didn’t win in the convincing fashion I thought I would but I am not going to take any meaningless fights now – I will only take big ones. Let’s sit tight and see what comes. I started OK but I got sloppy. He was a lot tougher than I expected and I wasted some energy going for the body.”
Conor Benn kicked off his pro career with a first round KO win at The O2, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Benn showed all his father Nigel’s trademarks as he fired in heavy shots from the first bell of his exciting future in the paid ranks, and the 19 year old made sure his first night would be a short one as he cornered Hungarian Ivailo Boyanov and handed him more punishment before the referee waved it off.
“It is unbelievable,” said Benn. “This is something that will stay with me until the day I die, it is an unbelievable reception I got. I told you I am bringing the Team Benn vibes back and here it is, there is much more to come.
“The crowd welcomed me and then it was me focusing on what I had to do – get in there and do the damage. If I can fight in front of a crowd like this and just embrace it and perform the way I did, then let’s fight every month, as much as I can. I have to be three-times World champion, not two.”
“My heart was going like the clappers,” said Nigel Benn. “Now you can see what he has got in store – he is quality, he likes to fight just like me and he has the tools. I am proud that he will be working with Eddie Hearn, he couldn’t be with any better promoter. I can go back to Australia now – I am not coming back here anymore, I cannot take it anymore!
“He wants to be better than me and he is going to be better than me.”
